3
Saeng
in my Pillowfort
Came for the comedy, stayed for the mystery, enjoyed the friendship.
The tl;dr:* Good pacing overall, nice balance between mystery and comedy
* Fine acting, distinct personalities and interesting background stories for the main cast
* No Romance!
* Strong female character, who unfortunately gets pushed out of the plot later
* Important message; good portrayal of diversity (considering it's Chinese)
* Ear-catching OST
The first episodes start with a strong comedic vibe, which is sometimes even stapsticky, after which the drama progressively gets deeper into the mystery of what happened three years ago.
I liked how this change happens gradually, the audience gets lured in with seemingly simple detective cases, and glimpses into the background stories. Only slowly the bigger picture begins to emerge, and it's not until the very end that we know all of the important elements. And on the way to the story's climax, the comedic elements are not lost -- the whole show feels well-rounded in its pacing and in the balancing of the different elements.
There are no episodes that feel dragged out, nor does the story ever feel rushed.
All of the main characters are incredibly well portrayed. Usually with costume dramas, especially those set at court, with all these similar uniforms and hats, it takes at least three episodes until I know who is supposed to be who. Not in this drama! Not only have the members of the Judicial Court all distinct personalities (more on that later), but each character has his (or her) very own body language. Even when they do nothing but sit or stand around, it's possible to recognize each and every one of them, even from behind.
No Romance! Always a plus, if the writer doesn't force a het romance into an otherwise engaging story, just to prove that there is no homo-romantic attraction between the main characters.
I loved Vice Minister Shangguan from the first minute -- finally, here is a female character who is not a simpering, love-sick and annoying girl but rather a strong woman who fought for her right to have her own life. In a sexist society (other characters even comment on this), she opposed her parents' will and got into a position of power as an official. Her office which is overflowing with scrolls and paperwork shows how hard-working she is. She must have had a hard time navigating Palace politics, as a woman and sole vice minister -- always on the outlook for people who want to sabotage her and her work; and we get to see glimpses of how she did it in the first episodes.
I also loved how her appearance underlines her character -- she's wearing sensible clothes, her make-up is modestly done.
All of which make the one thing that's really bad about the drama even worse: When things get serious, she's getting shipped off, for her safety, or, as Li Bing would put it, "for her own good". Why? She's certainly not weaker that, say, Cui Bei. She's not less experienced in intrigue than Wang Qi or less clever than any of them. So, why? Only so that when it gets serious, she can't "steal" the spotlight from the men. Plotwise, it would have been very much possible for her to be an important part of the team.
This is the one reason I deducted half a point from the rating for the category "story".
One big point in the drama's favour is that it shows us how important it is to see others as a human being -- what it does to a person if they are dehumanized (whether revered as god or reviled as monster) and how it makes us more human if we are kind to one another. Connected to this is that the acceptance of diversity can only strengthen us. (Which makes it even more regrettable that Vice Minister Shangguan is not part of the team!)
The team of Ming Jing Hall are very different people, not only is the boss half-human, half-cat, there's also the superstitious ex-soldier, the "diplomat" with a fondness for cross-dressing, the bookish man who always brings bad luck, the bumbling country boy and even a foreigner!
(That's one aspect that I found astonishing, there was actually very little nationalism in this drama; usually Chinese dramas are all about how great and heroic the Chinese people are -- here they are the aggressors towards another country, while the presumed antagonist just wants ... well, that would be a spoiler.)
Only by working together, by not just accepting each other but also recognizing each other's strengths and quirks, can the team solve the mystery and get justice for those who have been wronged.
Overall, this is an engaging and well-acted drama that made me laugh, and made me cry, and had me on the edge of my seat until the last minute of the closing credits.
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The awards are certainly well deserved. The acting, the soundtrack, the cinematography, everything served to enhance an already incredible story.
Here are some aspects that impressed me:
* The whole drama is not something to watch casually. Every minute is relevant, every twitch or facial twist is an important part of the story.
* I loved how I got to see only bits and pieces of what happened -- and had me mistrusting everybody throughout the series. Especially during the first episodes, which left me reeling with their cliffhangers. And then there was some new bit of info which slotted seamlessly into what I knew but changed all my ideas on what was going on.
* The first episodes made me guess and mistrust to the point where I expected a new twist even to the very end, when in other dramas I would already have been bored by the predictable plot -- I did no longer trust my own deductions nor my knowledge of the genre's usual plots, culprits and tropes.
* Every character is just shades of grey. Everybody's got their motives and reasons for their actions. Nobody is purely good, and still, a lot of them are somewhat likeable. That is something not a lot of dramas manage to do.
* I loved the role smiling and laughing played in this drama. I think the times when a smile, a chuckle or a laugh was really genuine instead of expressing any kind of negative emotion could be counted on the fingers of one hand.
* While the female characters were in the minority (no surprise there), all of them were strong, independent and active characters in their own right. (Apart from the victims of the serial killer, which was one of the few genre-conforming elements.)
* And last: No romance! Always a plus.
If you are a fan of mystery thrillers, this one will be worth your time!
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What I liked best:
* The initial premise is different and interesting, the story arcs well paced and in the end, all story threads are neatly tied up. Even if they ended the series with a glimpse of a new plot, it felt more like a "this is not the end" than a cliffhanger.
* The main character was extremely well acted, I loved the facial expressions (or, sometimes, the lack of them) and how the actor moved his body, we never forget that this is actually a dead body, not a living being.
* The comedy was there duiring all the episodes, and varied between spoofing Zombie movies and the detective genre, slapstick-y routines and just plain hilarious situations.
* The mysteries were not too simple, but simple enough for a comedy.
* Some K-Dramas I've watched have a weird slump in pacing or story in the 9th to 11th episdes. This one doesn't, every episode was interesting or funny enough to keep me watching.
* There was no romance between the two main characters, only a hint of interest on the woman's side, which is not even recognized by the zombie detective.
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This show is a fantasy for all of us who belonged to the "nerds", the "weirdos", the "fat" people or whatever group we belonged to and thought we would never have a chance to get the popular guy -- to make our secret crush our one true love.
First of all:
1. Toh is a very special kind of guy. His brain works differently to "normal" people. (I think people nowadays call that neuro-divergent.) He's also a rather campy gay man, which marginalizes him further and colours his world view heavily. This makes his actions hard to watch, although for him, they all make perfect sense.
2. Toh's friend group is loud, queer, a bit weird -- the whole show is made of camp.
If you can accept that and roll with it, you will have a very good time with this show. If you can't, then you should probably watch something else. I get that these over-the-top kind of shows are not for everybody.
Second:
1. What I loved most is the friendship between Toh, Daisy, Som and KaoJao. They are all supportive when it counts, pushing the other when it's needed,and not above teasing each other. It was also great how easily the two gangs mixed, the weird one and the popular kids. Toward the end, they were still very much present, and that's not something you always have, that the couple(s) don't forget their friends.
2. The second main thing I loved was: Those characters who are different (nerdy, queer, chubby ... just "different") usually only get supporting roles, mostly no love interest, and are often there mainly for comic relief. In this series they are the main characters! And they all get a love interest! AND, and this is the thing that made me give ten stars, none of them is required to change for that to happen. How often have we seen that the "ugly duckling" turns into a beautiful swan in the end? Not here, Toh remains his usual self, glasses, bowl cut and short trousers included.
Third:
* Kudos to the director: There are so many ensemble scenes, and even if they are not in focus, I haven't seen one actor fall out of character. It's a joy to watch the reactions and interactions in the background.
* Colour, audio and overall cinematography was fine. The background music was always there, as if whoever was in charge of it had a "horror silentiae", and sometimes too loud. I do love "แอบหลงรัก ", §ดั่งดาว" and, yes, even "Ooh My Loove".
* One thing that threw me out of my enjoyment of the explicit scenes was that they opened the condom packets while still dressed -- where are you going to put it then? (Also, I'd really like some lube sometime...)
Fourth, and that's the last one:
And I have to talk about it because I like to rant about the prevalence of top/bottom-tropes in Thai BLs, this was actually toned down a lot here. It was still there, and I wish we could get away from the "pushy" top. (Even though Sky was quite sweet later on, I'm not too happy about how he pursued Jao in the beginning and the grabbing around the neck/chest thing.)
Still, there was no feminizing a partner who was not like that in the beginning, that's good. Also no infantilizing whatsoever. The use of "wife" was mainly used to describe the roles during sexual activities, not as a character trait. Partners in two couples offered to switch roles if the other wanted it.
"Tops" were also at times insecure, emotionally open and one of them not really adept at flirting.
I also firmly believe that the bandana in Nuea's right backpocket (in episode 7) was intentional, and you can pry this headcanon out of my cold, dead hands.
Overall, a firm recommendation from me, if just because of the great representation of characters who are otherwise never in the spotlight.
[This is a slightly edited version of the review I posted on Viki.]
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Weird, remarkably consistent -- and can make you think if you look beyond the Pork Blood Soup
For vampire Pun, only meeting Yo makes his own life meaningful. Only when they are together, during the all too short span of a human life, there can be happiness. Pun will enjoy every single second with Yo, it doesn't matter if these seconds are good, bad, or deeply absurd.For those who seek help in deciding if they should watch this series, this might be important to know:
* Take all of your ideas what a vampire story should be like, and put them away, because this story either discards them or at least subverts all the vampire tropes.
* Almost all of the characters are weird in some way. If you can't handle "cringe" (whatever that is, because I still don't understand the word), then this might not be for you.
* Blood Pork Soup sometimes feels like the main character of the show. This is what brings the group together.
* This is not a fast-paced romance. At times, it seems as if this show is not about the romance, but about the absurdity of life. Which also means that sometimes it seems that nothing is happening at all. Relax, follow the flow of the drama, enjoy every scene on its own, without expecting it to advance the story -- and you'll enjoy this show.
* Pun is, and that is important to notice, usually at least an unreliable narrator -- inconsistencies in what he says are not plot holes. Take everything Pun says about himself or other vampires with a grain of salt, he has his reasons.
* You *will* get a common trope used in stories about humans and immortals at the end.
* And last, watch the trailer https://youtu.be/5ekNPUazAmA. For a trailer, this one is pretty much accurate. If you like what you see there, you might like the series.
_________________________________
Now, the things I love about the series:
1. The series tries to do something different.
While I can love a tropey rom-com, I don't want only that. I love when somebody does something new; when tropes are discarded or subverted. Actually, I was deeply sceptical before I started watching this serie, because I DON'T like vampire stories and their tropes. Dark and brooding, cruel and mysterious, erotic blood-sucking included? No, thank you. But this one is different. This is colourful, and bright, and everybody enjoys the absurdity life can bring.
"Different" always gets bonus points, even if other aspects might not be good.
2. The characters are weird, and so, so loveable.
Pun, of course, the good vampire who loves Yo and Pork Blood Soup, who once wore braces as an accessory, whose assortment of colourful umbrellas shade us from the harsh sun of reality.
Yo, who is obsessed with aliens and fascinated by the weird, who likes wearing his beaded bracelets and, of course, loves eating Pork Blood Soup.
Kamsai, whose main goal in life is to have a Pork Blood Soup stall, and who is the most pragmatic of them all at the age of 16.
Yam, Yo's little sister, who seems to be a no-nonsense kind of person but ultimately gives in to the weird obsession of Yo's, and who is the one who has a good sense for people and is the first to point out the attraction between Yo and Pun.
Shin, of course, who is hard-working, always full of energy, and who seems to have a slight humiliation kink.
And then there are the side characters; the alien-obsessed Pak and her mute girlfriend, the nosy but courageous auntie, Gyoza and her elderly grandma, the small and cheeky landlady.
3. The series is consistent:
When I watched the series for the first time, I waited for the plot to fall apart very episode. It didn't. Actually, after rewatching, I can say, the plot and the worldbuilding is remarkably consistent -- there are no glaring inconsistencies, no obvious plot holes. I do wish the writer had put more obvious clues about Pun's backstory in earlier episodes. As it is, the last episodes reveals *two* crucial pieces of information about the past and has to resolve all of it in half an episode -- this might be one of the reasons some people find the ending rushed.
I also have to mention that this is one of the few Thai BLs that actually give us dates! The main story starts shortly before Valentine (episode 1, the couple's discount at the food stall) and ends shortly after Songkran, then there's a time-skip of a year, after which follows a montage over the next fifty-four years (this can be easily calculated). So, and I think that's something a lot of people haven't noticed, the main part only takes just over two months -- that's actually not that long.
I also feel that the characters are consistent in their actions. There wasn't a scene when I thought that someone was out of character. Even the side characters had, well, *character*.
Look at Chalui / Luis for example. He's part of "UFO and the gang" (Yo's college friend group) -- if you observe him, he's obviously not as into alien hunting as Yo and Pak. He rolls his eyes continuously, he doesn't want to get involved with that vampire nonsense. He points out that their thesis in the next semester will be a solo project -- and consequently, disappears from the moment the break starts and doesn't appear again. (And, let's be honest, friend groups at college form and disband all the time.)
4. Something that also impressed me were the props and sets.
Seeing the Pun and Yo's rooms, they fit their characters. None of those soulless condos and houses for the super-rich that look as if they were just rented spaces for a series. I can see Yo and Pun *living* there, surrounded by all the things that are important to them. The roof-top restaurant, too, evolves over time, from a neglected space to a place where our group regularly meets and eats their pork blood soup -- props were added over the course of the series, changed places, were *used*. That shows what you can do with a small budget, if you know what you want.
5. The music.
Most of the songs are sung by Boy YourMOOD, who also plays Shin in this show, they are as up-beat and colourful as the whole series. And I encourage you to pay attention to the songs at the opening and closing credits!
6. The plot, in all its consistency, leaves some questions unanswered. (Yes, I'm still at "things I love")
I don't mean the important questions -- the main plot itself is resolved in the end; we get to hear the reasons for the main obstacle, we know why Pun acts the way he does. But there are some minor plot points that are left open -- I won't talk about them here, I try to keep this spoiler-free.
The thing is, I like it when I can think and theorize more after a show has ended. When I can have my little fantasies about what happened before and why, about what someone did or said between scenes, about what will happen after the last scene. Bonus points for that!
7. Below all of the quirky weirdness, there lie unexplored depths of existential questions.
Throughout the series, it feels as if the mood is just one turn away from shifting into the dark.
The drama asks: What to do when everything falls apart and the thing / the person that gave meaning to your life is gone? What will you do when you are the one who will outlive them all?
And: How much do you let yourself be defined by what you are? Can you go against your very own nature? Against what everybody else says how you should be? How long will you be able to defy expectations?
And: What makes a good life? Can happiness be a bowl of Pork Blood Soup?
________________________
The acting by all of the actors was not something exceptional, but we've all seen much worse in Thai BLs. Both main actors did a good job -- especially Pun's besotted stares and Yo's laugh whenever he was embarrassed or confused were very well done. The comedic timing was usually spot-on for me, and where it wasn't. it seems mainly be a strange editing choice. Somchai could have had more range -- the clapping and laughing got samey after a while, but in other scenes the actor was good enough to make everybody hate his character. Special mention goes to Mild who played Kaemsai, what a remarkable scene in episode 11! And she was only 16 when they filmed; I'm looking forward to following her acting career.
__________________
And, at last, the not-so-good.
Because everything cannot be perfect, and we can love something while also be aware of the flaws.
I already pointed it out earlier: There are two crucial plot points that answer questions that are central to the whole plot; and we don't even get real hints before that. While rewatching, I noticed that, at least for one of those plot points, there are actions that make much more sense now that I know what I know -- during the first time, I felt that there was something ... not quite off, but strange about them, but I couldn't put my finger on it.
In my opinion, it would have been possible to place more and stronger hints in earlier episodes, without revealing everything. It might also have made the series more palatable for the people who felt that it was "too slow" or that "nothing is happening".
To everyone who made it to the end of this review, I say:
โบกมือลา ... แล้ววันหน้าพบกันใหม่ --- Wave goodbye ... and meet you again in the future.
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This review may contain spoilers
This is a solid Taiwan-typical BL rom-com, that unfortunately goes off the rails in the last two episodes.But first, what I liked:
* The characters (except for the father) were all very down-to-earth in their living circumstances, occupations and characteristics.
* Bai Liang's character is consistently written -- his passions, his fears, his experiences in childhood, his resulting way of life -- they're all parts of one picture.
* His actor takes this, and deepens the character by wonderful acting. His expressions mask the characters insecurities, his tics hint at his emotional state, and the anxiety attacks were beautiful to watch.
* The sets did not feel like sets, they all felt like real places (except for the mirror in the clinic, which was always a bit too conveniently placed).
The main flaws for me were
1. Too many couples. Seriously, why do some writers think they have to pair up all of their characters? Four couples in ten 30-minute episodes are too much; two of them don't even get more than a few minutes of screentime. The second couple (bartender/young man) also was not needed, its development did not connect to the main couple. I'd rather the writer had taken the precious screen time to delve deeper into Jin Yun An's character, because I did not understand some of his actions.
2. The father-son sub plot in episode 11. It comes out of nowhere (there were only some very minor hints that Jin Xu An was not on good terms with his family), is squeezed into one episode, the father's actions don't make any sense (he's so much against his son being gay that he hits him, and after that's done, he is fine with it???). It seems as if the writer feelt that Bai Liang and Jin Xun An must have an obstacle to overcome and couldn't think of anything else but this contrived cliché.
So, up until the end of episode 10, this drama is good, if a bit tropey (with a meet-ugly, a tragic childhood background, wooing through food, an old love interest and more), which is tempered by excellent acting, solid directing and editing, and a good depiction of mental struggles caused by trauma. Sadly, the afore-mentioned "conflict" decreased my enjoyment of the series.
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Wish You: Your Melody From My Heart (Movie)
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A musical movie or a music video with added dialogue?
If you have the choice between the series and the movie, then watch the movie. It has several scenes that are missing from the series and round out the story.What I liked:
* I loved the two female characters! They did not have much screen time, but showed some interesting character traits nevertheless. The team leader is obviously under a lot of pressure to produce music that sells well, is a real career woman who can be ruthless at times, and at the same time she seems to want to produce good music as well. The deputy is similar, and she does care about the people who work under her, at least Sang Yi. It is a delight to see women who are people with their own ambitions, even if they are supporting characters.
* I liked Lee Sang's acting. He did a good portrayal of his crush in the beginning and his shyness to speak to In Soo.
What I did not like:
* The story was thin, very thin. The premise has great potential for more, and it's saddening to see that it wasn't developed more. On the other hand, it was a good decision to not put too much into the short time frame.
* The lighting was at times a bit too much on the mood lighting side.
* I wish the scenes the singers would actually sing what we hear, not just be shown as a bautiful backdrop to the music.
I am torn about whether there was too much music with pining stares and montages or not. On the one hand, it is nice that the story took its time to unfold -- and it is about two people who fall in love with each other's music first, and then with the person. If there was less singing, I would maybe have complained about that.
On the other hand, those scenes took away time that could have been used for more plot or character development. Sometimes I fellt like I was watching a music video with interspersed dialogue.
You can watch it if you have some time on your hands and can use a pick-me-up, but you won't miss much if you don't.
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What I liked:
* All of the characters in the boarding house. They each have their own personality, which we can see even though the story's so short.
* The acting. All of the actors make it possible for us to get to know the characters and their thoughts.
* I liked the friend from college, Bong Deok, the most, who showed remarkable depth of character. Kudos to his actor, I'd like to see him in more dramas.
What I did not like:
* I think they people responsible for the project chose the wrong story for their format. For these short dramas / average length movies you cannot have an ensemble drama and expect a cohesive storytelling that has enough depth to be satisfying. Something will have to be left out, and it shows. I imagine the original work this is based on is much longer and allows for more character development.
* Why did they bleep out the swear words, even put a flower over the actor's mouths? I don't understand why they did not just put a different text for the actors to speak there, if they wanted to keep their low age rating.
Overall impression:
I do not regret watching this show, as the story was cute, the characters likeable and the actors did well. But this is by no means a must-watch; we have enough BL dramas by now that we can choose those of higher quality.
If you have not yet seen it, but want to, I recommend watching the series, not the movie. Although the change between episodes is a bit annoying due to their shortness, the scenes which are not in the movie are entertaining. Also, the movie's background music is sometimes a bit too strong.
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This review may contain spoilers
Scattered mess of beautiful moments and weak scenes
I postponed writing a review for this drama for years now -- there are some parts I am still in love with, but some are just frustrating.The show is a mess of scattered plots, good acting, average music, fantastic plot ideas, weak acting, and some touching moments. So, any star rating would be wrong and right at the same time. (But MDL doesn't let me post this without a rating.)
First of all, I know that the makers of this series were unlucky with their timing, first it was aired earlier than planned and then there was Covid. But still, there are some structural flaws:
* I think the writers bit off more than they could chew when they introduced all of these side couples. They distract from the main storylines, and are not developed at the same time. Even without covid, if they'd cut down Tutor's and Fighter's storyline to incoporate Zon's and Saifah's -- where would they have put the side couples? There's just no time!
* Overall, the script is not very consistent, subplots are introduced but not resolved, some scenes are not connected to the whole script -- and it cannot all be due to interruptions by covid.
* The premise of Zon thinking he could be in a BL novel was an interesting one but was basically dropped after a few episodes. The question of "Is it real?" could have elevated this above the common-troped college BL story.
* Zon's endless waffling between shameless flirting and borderline homophobic panic attacks was just annoying.
There are some other minor things I did not like very much, which was the crude humour in the beginning, the way Zol's disregard of privacy and wishes of the real people she is writing about is never resolved, and the dynamic between Saifah and Zon.
This couple adhered more to "usual" BL tropes than Fighter and Tutor, which I tend to find boring, sometimes irritating. Otherwise, it was a cute kind of innocent first love. Some people seem to very much like it.
So, until here, it's maybe average, and I'm generous with that assessment.
But then, there's Tutor's and Fighter's love story. And if it wasn't for all of the points above and some other, minor, things, I'd rate this show much higher because of their story.
* I love their push-and-pull-relationship. At first, it's more of a rivalry which develops into more as they both struggle with their own feelings.
* Both are equals in this relationship, both are able to give and take, and learn to lean onto the other and give strength.
* At the beginning, both are -- in differing ways -- closed off to other people and are keeping their inner self for themselves. As they learn how to deal with their feelings for each other, they learn how to open up and show their underbellies. Especially Fighter is beautiful in these vulnerable moments, when he allows himself to submit to Tor.
* All in all, these two characters show some well-acted character development and a beautiful story arc.
Other, minor things I loved:
* Zon's gang was hilarious, I do love that kind of humour.
* Kae (the café owner) was as supportive as he could be, while himself strugglingas a member of a minority group and in unstable financial times. His scenes show that there could have been more, that the writer was capable of better writing but chose to focus elsewhere. (Or, rather, distribute their focus to everywhere, so there's no focus at all.)
* Blue is just ridiculously cute.
* Also, Hwa's character was interesting. I'd loved to see more of her emotional journey and what was going on in her family. but still, the glimpses we get are fascinating.
So, what to do about a rating? I love the Tutor/Fighter parts (10 stars), and I have watched those again and again. I am frustrated by the side couples (3 stars), and disappointed by Zon and Saifah (5 stars).
I can't recommend it, but I can't not recommend it either -- watch at your own risk.
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This review may contain spoilers
If a film from Japan is 60 minutes long and has an 18+ rating, then there's a good chance that it is a pink film -- with all that entails about crass sex scenes, random nudity, production quality and sometimes questionable plot. For more info, I recommend RandomUsagi's introduction to their list of gay pink films (https://mydramalist.com/list/1xrm2893) and a comment of theirs about the distinction between BL and gay pink films (https://mydramalist.com/list/1xrm2893#comment-19083260).
I haven't seen a lot of gay pink films yet, but what I appreciate about some of those I've watched is the way they use soft porn to tell stories about the universal human experience -- love, loss and gentle heartbreak.
This is one of those.
The main character (Takeshi) is torn between familial obligations and wanting to live his own life -- this resonated deeply with me, and maybe other people who are or have been in the same place in life.
Love and loss play a big part in this story: His boyfriend Kazuyoshi, who left Takeshi to pursue his own career while Takeshi remained to care for his elderly and disabled father, returns, but only for a short while. His sister leaves the house to get married. The gift from the ocean, the man without history, Akira, might have been a temporary person in Takeshi's life.
What is not said is at times more important in this film than what the characters tell us. I liked the use of silence and the chosen soundtrack.
I am impressed by how the director managed to give the obligatory sex scenes some meaning -- the first, before the break up, is loving, on the dry part of the beach, warmed by a nearby fire -- the second, the reunion, is harsher, on the wet sand -- the third in the liminal space between land and sea, doused in cold ocean water, bodies smeared with black sand -- and the in last scene at the beach which, in contrast, is not even a sex scene, both men are overwhelmed by their emotions and, in accordance, by the waves crashing over them.
The acting was not bad, I've seen worse in other modern gay pink films, and the plot holes are not that bad, considering the film is only 60 minutes long -- it's not about the plot anyway but either about the sex or the emotions (whichever the viewer prefers).
If you don't mind the way sex scenes are done in pink films, and are willing to look beyond the plot holes, it's a not-bad way to spend an hour.
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In "Sumodo - The Successors of Samurai" the director is allowed to enter two prestigious sumo "stables" (that's the word given by the subtitles in JFF Theater) to film the daily lives of sumo wrestlers. He films them during training and during downtime -- I was amazed at how close the director got to the wrestlers, and how open they were with him about their hopes and struggles.
Given that Sumo wrestlers do see themselves as the successors of Samurai (which is historically not quite unreasonable, as the documentary explains), and that Japanese society is not known for people openly speaking about their inner world, this is quite the feat!
(The film team is even invited to a wedding.)
Because of the closeness, the documentary is able to show us both the exterior of Sumo (the history, the stables' PR and, of course, the competitions) and the workings "behind the scenes". This documentary could have been a film focused on the fights, on the powerful bodies and the excitement of the tournaments -- it is that, but it is tempered by what we learn about the people -- real people with profound thoughts, with feelings, with bodies that sometimes fail; people who continuously push their boundaries and strive for perfection, even if it means to endure pain and suffering.
I started without any real knowledge about the sport -- the documentary was still easy to follow and I learned a lot. Since it's made for a Japanese audience, there are some things left unexplained, but it's still an educating watch.
If you have the chance to watch it, then I recommend to do so!
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Kiyoi's and Hira's love is a twisted one, one that is more co-dependency than love. One feels that his only meaning in life is to adore the other. The other needs another person to look up to him. It reminds me of the relationship in "Double Mints", just without the drugs and violence.
I can see that this is a story that fascinates a lot of people -- it's raw, painful, and beautiful in its pain.
Additionally, the quality is exceedingly good. The actors are excellent, I don't think any viewer could imagine another actor in their roles. I love that the drama tells the story as much through sounds and silences as through visual elements, colours and inner monologue. The script is tight, and there's not a second that is unnecessary for the story.
For me, though, I would have needed a different story-telling to enjoy this drama. As a victim of bullying myself, I would never be able to adore my tormentor, even if I would have found them attractive (and, sorry, I don't find Kiyoi attractive at all, let alone beautiful). I cannot, for the life of me, see how Kiyoi's non-action (he just enters a room!) is more impactful for Hira than his college friend's active support from minute one.
Maybe it would have helped if I got to see Kiyoi's internal struggle earlier -- but then, he does not seem to see anything wrong with his actions during high school at all.
I do understand that we need stories about twisted and painful relationships, we need more than just sugar-coated rom-coms -- it's just that this one with it's central theme of school bullying is not the right story for me.
So, if you ask me: Should I watch it? Then, yes, absolutely, do so. Even if you, like me, will never understand their story, watch it just for the outstanding performance and the beautiful way this drama was made.
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How to survive in a heteronormative world
A poignant short film about two queer people trying to survive in this heteronormative world.A young woman who loses her fanancial support and tries to find a way out of the situation.
A young man deep in the closet and hopelessly in love with a married man.
A married hetero man, who rather believes unsubstantiated rumours than listen to the subtle hints of his friend.
Two-and-a-half locations, minimal music, details are told with the camera, not with words.
I wonder if people who are not LGBTQ+ can easily understand this short film, but I hope they'd choose to look closely and will listen better than the straight friend here.
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This review may contain spoilers
Please pay no mind to the star ratings for this review. Because I admit it, I am one of those people for whom this series has nostalgic value. When I first watched it in 2022, this was only my second live-action BL drama (and my first encounter with anything Thai), and I was *fascinated*. I had been reading Japanese BL manga in the early 2000s and I have been a voracious reader of slash fanfiction for more than 25 years now -- but I never knew live-action BLs even existed until 2022. So, I was feeling slightly overwhelmed, and this makes me feel more favourable towards this series than it deserves.
Because, if we are being honest, apart from Pete and Ae's love story, this drama is not very good.
It starts with the technical side:
The colours are strangely subdued (for a Thai production), without there being a narrative reason for it. The background noise is at times overwhelming (especially in a scene where Pete, his mother and Ae sit near a fountain) -- although at other time I find it charming to hear university life going on in the background. We can hear clothes brushing over microphones in some scenes. Props are not quite what they should be (thereare props from IKEA at rich Pete's house, and school bags are often obviously empty. In some scenes the actors look as if they had to do their own hair and make-up.
The show obviously had a rather low budget; but not everything about it is bad. I love the messy dorm room -- a bit icky, probably hot -- and both the flat colours and the background noise give the university grounds a realistic vibe -- watching the young people in the canteens, on the walkways and on the football field, surrounded by the noise and heat of Thailand, I always feel that this is just one of many stories happening on the campus. It's nothing like most of the newer airbrushed and clean BL drama, which are painfully obviously set in drama-land.
If we're looking at the acting and the directing, the series is mediocre: Some scenes are full of awkward acting -- some are more watchable. Since most actores were complete newbies at the time, I can understand it -- but better directing could have helped here. There are some scenes that are outstanding though. One of them is the beautiful coming out-scene in episode 1 -- the hesitation in the beginning, the way Pete's mum suppresses her own feellings and turns away and towards Pete again and again, the tentative questions and the short but reassuring answers, until both are in tears, the hesitant acceptance in the end -- this is the kind of coming-out scene I miss in newer BLS, where acceptance often is immediate and coming out is no big deal. (And while we here, I love that Pete describes himself as "gay", and doesn't only use descriptive terms.)
And an upopular opinion, maybe: I wish they had cast someone else than Perth for Ae. Don't get me wrong, Perth does a good job (especially considering his age)! But Ae is time and again described as short, stocky and dark -- Perth is none of these. Ae's appearance is an important part of his character though, and one of his sources of insecurity, and I would have liked it bo be more obvious. Alos, I would have liked to see the visual difference between a dark, stocky and short Ae and a light-skinned, tall and lanky Pete.
And now to the most obvious flaws: the storylines. We have five couples here, which is aready too much for a fourteen episode series, and half of them are not what I'd call good romance.
The one with the least screentime is also the worst -- outright rape, and subsequent victim-blaming, which is only played for laughs? Yeah, this is where it becomes very clear that this is based on a MAME story. Since this was a Wabi Sabi production and aired by GMM25, there must have been people in charge who worked independently from MAME and should have been able to cut this from the drama? I really don't want to know what the producers and screenwriter were thinking.
The story of Tar and Tum is very flawed -- I don't really mind that they are step-brothers. Two consenting adults can do what they want, in my opinion, as long as there won't be any children (the risk of genetic diseases is just too high). The thing is, there's no consent here in the scene where Tum tries to assault Tar. What I don't like about this subplot are two things: a) the story neither begins nor ends within the series. We don't know the background if we don't know TharnType, and the story does not stop at a satisfying point. And b) Tar's trauma is not handled well. If he's still victim-blaming himself-- then why is he not still in therapy? Why does his brother not know anything about it? (He doesn't need to know details, but it's quite obviuos that Tum is completely in the dark here.)
Putting the Tar/Tum story and the No/Kengkla plot next to each other -- why? We have a guy thoroughly traumatized by rape and in the same drama, rape is supposed to be something funny? Doesn't compute at all. Why did nobody notice?
Can and Tin, well. This is a mixed bag for me. I strongly dislike the "top pressures the bottom into sexual situations" trope, so I was not enamoured with their story at first, or later. Can is clearly not in a mental place where he is ready to enter *anything* remotely romantic / sexual, and Tin is only trying to get someone so he won't be alone any more, so his pursuing Can is not about Can, only about himself. So, I was really happy with their ending -- Can got a good character development arc, where he ends up realizing what a romantic/sexual relationship could mean for him, understanding that he does not want it at the moment -- and consequently rejecting Tin. Go, Can!
I did love Cha-Aim and Pond. I love their constant bickering, love how she always pushes back at Pond whenever he gets too much. I love a woman who knows her worth, and can clearly communicate her boundaries and her wants. Pond comes across as this slightly icky, sex-crazed porn addict (and I don't love his slightly homophobic attitude at the beginning). But as we get to know him, we can see that behind his "Three S" behaviour, there's actually a guy who cares about his friends deeply, and who never judges people for who they are.
Well, and Pete and Ae? Their love story is the one reason I can't give a lower rating than I did. This is a wonderful teenage love story, with a lot of "firsts" for both of them. I usually don't like the top/bottom dynamics, which are extremely strong here (Ae is rough, strong, possessive, while Pete is meek, soft, and very shy). But with them, it fits -- here, it feels as if they are two halves ot the same whole. And while Ae is extremely possessive, he is also someone who doesn't feel as if he deserved Pete (and seeks reassurance from Pete!). Yes, Ae is clearly the dominant partner -- but as a good dominant partner should, he always chacks in with Pete and tries to be aware of any boundaries. Even the "gay for you" trope works here, since Ae hasn't had any sexual desire before.
Like with any good teenage romance, both Pete and Ae grow in the course of navigating their relationship, and are more adult in the end than in the beginning.
So, can I recommend it?
Not really. There's so many good BL series nowadays, that it's really not necessary to watch this one.
On the other hand, Love by Chance *is* one of the classics which laid the groundwork for following works. And Ae and Pete are just adorable. Should you decide to try it, you should be aware of the show's many flaws and prepare yourself for a rather explicit rape scene in episode 14. Or you can just fast-forward through all of the scenes with Kengkla (No alone is okay) and with Tum or Tar in them. You won't miss anything.
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Arm WC, the sole host of this show, is a charming man, who can even make the most nervous newbies relax. A lot of the guests seem to enjoy taking part and keep coming back, and I think this is the reason why the show has been as long running as it has. (Arm Share has been running for five-and-a-half years now (Oct 2024), from before the Covid pandemic, through it, and beyond.)
Except for the episodes before the pandemic, the main goal of most episodes seems to be to promote the guests and the sponsors' products. And the latter is unfortunately so prominent in more than a few episodes that I felt as if I watched a long commercial, not a show. I do understand the need for finances, so I can take a bit of advertisement, but sometimes it felt as if every third sentence was about the promoted product. Recent episodes (I'd say from the beginning of 2024) have been much better in that regard, so maybe they've decided to dial it down a bit.
For those who are undecided if they want to watch older episodes -- you absolutely can! I'd recommend the first 46 episodes, which had a different concept. They showed Arm as he tested food together with GMMTV staff, as he explained how to do subtle make-up for men, as he showed us parts of his life, as he worked as a stylist for concerts and MVs, as he travelled to SKorea and Japan. (A YouTube comment on the second Hiroshima episode reads "I miss Arm Share when it was about Arm" and they are right.)
Actually, I think it's a crying shame that the concept changed, because this way, the show underutilizes Arm's talents in the areas of styling, fashion, arts, and his general hard-working character who seems to be interested in a lot of topics. I wonder how this show would have developed if the pandemic and it's consequences hadn't forced restrictions on producing?
After those first episodes, it's probably better to choose only those when there's a guest you want to see, because, as I said, it's become about the guests and the product placements. It's still funny, but not as charming and authentic.
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